Bathtub



DC-J

FIP7902 -L GRUEN March 19, 1946,

I BATHTUB Filed Feb. 25 1944 dn////%llllt FBI izvvmron HENRY GRUEN Pam Arm ATTORNEY.

Patent UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 6 Claims.

My invention relates to improvements in bath tubs and particularly to the upturned flange above the bath tub and the anchors which join the bath tub to the wall. Among the purposes and objects of my invention are to provide:

An anchor groove in the top of the peripheral flange for securing the tile wall to and flush with the flange.

An anchor means between the tile wall and the tub.

An anchor means between the wall and the tub.

Grooves and/or ridges in the top peripheral flange of bath tubs.

A convenient bond securing the wall to the bath tub to prevent settling.

A wall securing means for upturned flan es of bath tubs so that no part of the face of the flange is covered.

A wall securing means for the upturned flanges of tubs which does not show on the face of the flange.

An upturned flange having large radius corners or sweeps above the tub.

A nonslip tub easily cleaned.

I accomplish these and other objects by the construction hereinafter described and shown in the accompanying drawing forming a part hereof in which:

Fig. l is a typical fragmentary cross section of my upturned flange or sweep.

, Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a tub havin flanges on three sides.

Fig. 3 is a typical cross section.

Fi 4 is a fragmentary plan view of one of the corners.

Fig. 5 is a plan view of my tub having an upturned flange or sweep on three sides as in Fig. 1.

Fig. 6 is a plan view of my tub having an upturned flange on two sides.

Fig. '7 is a plan view of my tub having an upturned flange on one side, or at the back only.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views of the drawing and in the specification to follow.

General description facing to the face of the upturnedflange. Any

of these upturned flanges prevent a large radius sweep at the juncture of the flange at the corner where it joins the tub which is difflcult to clean, and when the tile face rests on the top of the tub, a crack often forms in which water and dirt may collect.

In my bath tub, the upturned flange or sweep is smooth and finished like the other parts of the tub, and leakage between the wall or around the adjacent parts of the tub is impossible. All splashing, and water from a shower over the tub drains back into the tub. No sharp comers, cracks, or spaces between the tub and adjacent wall are possible. The wall, tile facing, or other facing are securely anchored so that the wall and tub are connected together as a single unit.

My tub may be provided with a plurality of raised or anti-slipping projections at the bottom and so shaped as to be easily cleaned, yet capable of preventing accidents to the user while standins in the tub.

The construction is so designed that the tub may be of metal having a porcelain or enamel flnish, or the entire tub may be made of ceramics, porcelain, or other material.

Specification Referring to the drawing, my bath tub I is shown as having an upturned sweep or flange F projecting above the top 2 at the back 3 or at the left end 4 or right end 5 or at both ends and the back, as shown in Figs. 2 and 5. Fig. 6 shows the flange at one end and back only while Fig. '7 shows the flange at the back only.

The enlarged fragmentary sectional view is typical and may apply to either the end or back flange.

The upsweep of the flange from the top of the tub is characterized by a large radius 6 as well as a large radius at the corner I or comer 8 where the back flange joins the end flange or flanges.

The radius of the juncture at the top 9 where an end flange joins the back flange is reduced to a substantially square corner which is gradually blended into the large corner radius 1 or 8. The square top corner conforming to the corner of the wall It or its facing tiles ll above the tub.

The wall and tiles are secured and anchored to the flange of the tub by the grooves l2 and I3 at the top If! and back 20 of the flange F and by the projections I, I5, l6 and I1, and a grout of cement l8, which secures the tiles to the tub and to each other, also to the wall, as well as the tub to the wall so that the wall, tub, and tiles are all united and bonded by the grooves and projections.

The groove l2 in the top edge IQ of the flange is carried over and down the edge or edges Zl at the front 22 of the tub I where joined to a wall at the end of the tub. The number and size of the grooves and projections may vary to suit the conditions and the grooves and projections may terminate at intervals to add stren th to the flange or increase the bond. Overhanging or dovetail grooves and projections may be provided in place of the rectangular type shown.

Irregularities or anti-slipping projections 23 may be provided in the bottom 24 within the tub and the front 22 of the tub may comprise an apron 25 behind which a space 26 separates the front or end walls 27 of the tub from the apron. The back wall 28 is separated from the wall by the space 30. Over the space 26 and 30, the top of the tub is provided with a table, the marginal edges of which are swept upwardly t form the flanges F and downwardly to connect the apron and also the walls of the tub. In addition to a large radius at all corners except the top corners of the flange, the water is freely drained from the table by providin an incline 3| to drain water toward and into the tub. The two top projections or any plurality of projections on the top edge of the flange provide a base on which the tiles and cement rest.

Having thus described and illustrated an embodiment of my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is set forth in the following claims.

I claim:

1. In combination with a wall structure including a facing, a bath fixture built intov said wall structure and including at its upper edgean upstanding integral flange terminating in a substantially horizontal edge underlying said wall facing with the outer exposed surfaces of the facing and of the flange disposed substantially in the same vertical plane, and a concealed bond between the wall structure and the fixture comprising an upwardly opening groove provided in the upper horizontal edge of the flange intermediate the front and rear faces thereof, and a rearwardly opening, longitudinally extending groove provided in the rear face of said flange, and a cementitious bonding and sealing material filling said grooves and the joint between the upper edge of the flange and said facing and between the rear face ofthe said flange and said wall.

2. In combination with a wall structure including a facing, a bath fixture built into said wall structure and including at its upper edge an upstanding integral flange having an upper edge underlying said facing and a rear face abutting an inner portion of said wall rearwardly of said facing, the exposed surface of said facing and the exposed surface of said flange being disposed in substantially the same vertical plane, a wall bonding groove provided in said upper edge of the flange, said groove opening upwardly and extending longitudinally of the flange and wall bonding formations provided on the rear face of said flange and including longitudinally extending spaced projecting ribs and an intermediate rearwardly opening groove, and a cementitious bonding material filling said grooves and the joint between the upper edge of the flange and said facing, and between the rear face of said flange and the adjoining wall structure.

3. In combination with a wall structure including a facing, a bath fixture built into said wall structure and including at its upper edge an upstanding integral flange terminating in a substantially horizontal edge underlying said wall facing with the outer exposed surfaces of the facing and of the flange disposed substantially in the same vertical plane, and a concealed bond between the wall structure and the fixture comprising an upwardly opening groove provided in the upper horizontal edge of the flange intermediate the front and rear faces thereof, wall bonding formations provided on the rear face of said flange and including means for receiving and keying with a cementitious' bonding and sealing material and a cementitious bonding and sealing material filling said groove and the joint between the upper edge of the flange and said facing and keying with the bonding formation on the rear face of said flange.

4. In combination with a wall structure including a facing, a bath fixture built into said wall structure and including at its upper .edge an upstanding integral flange having an upper edge underlying said facin and a rear face abutting an inner portion of said wall rearwardly of said facing, the exposed surface of said facing and the exposed surface of said flange being disposed in substantially the same vertical plane, and wall bonding formations provided on the upper edge of the flange for receiving and keying with a cementitious bonding and sealing material, and additional wall bonding formations provided on the rear face of said flange and including longitudinally extending spaced projecting ribs and an intermediate groove, and a cementitious bonding material filling the joint between the upper edge of the flange and said facing and keying with the bonding formations provided on said upper edge and filling the joint between the rear face of the flange and the bonding formations provided thereon and the adjoining wall structure and said groove.

5. A bath fixture adapted to be built into a wall structure and comprising a tub portion having at its upper edge an integral upstanding marginal flange having substantially right angularly disposed upper edge and rear face portions which are concealed from View when the fixture is in place, said flange being provided with wall bonding formations including longitudinally extending grooves in said upper edge and in said rear face of said flange, the groove in said edge opening upwardly and the groove in said rear face opening rearwardly, for receiving wall bonding and joint sealing material.

6. A bath fixture adapted to be built into a wall structure and comprising a tub portion having an integral upstanding marginal flange at its upper edge, said flang havin a rear face and an upper edge portion concealed from view when the tub is in place, the upper edge portion of said flange being provided with an upwardly opening wall bonding groove extending longitudinally thereof, said rear face of the flange being provided with wall bonding formations in the form of alternate projecting longitudinally extendin ribs and intermediate groove elements for receiving wall bonding and joint sealing material.

HENRY GRUEN. 

